Manchester City v Aston Villa: Squad sheets

Roberto Mancini breezed into his Friday press conference wearing a David Platt mask to poke fun at himself and illustrate a lighter mood after recent travails during which he sent his assistant to speak with the media. Manchester City's manager protects the Premier League's only unbeaten record against a team defeated 4-1 in the corresponding fixture last season, though Aston Villa's recent form has them a place above the drop zone. After Maicon helped inspire Sunday's 3-2 win over Tottenham when entering as a substitute the Brazilian may start, while Mario Balotelli, dropped from the squad for that game due to attitude issues, will hope for a return. Jamie Jackson